Despite Jasper Stuyven signing for Soudal-QuickStep for 2026, he has revealed he never thought he and compatriot Remco Evenepoel would be teammates, with the latter making a landmark move to Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe for next season.
Evenepoel's future was the subject of months of speculation, but for Stuyven, it was almost clear that joining Soudal-QuickStep would mean joining as one of the new focal points, with their former star set to depart.
"Honestly: no. After what's come out over the past three years about his contract situation, I never assumed Remco would be my teammate in 2026," Stuyven told HLN, in an extensive interview about his departure from Lidl-Trek and role with the Belgian squad going forward.
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"I never knew Jurgen [Foré's] current status or vision regarding Remco, but I felt this year was the time for Remco to leave, and that's how I approached it. I didn't sign with Remco in mind, thinking it would be good or bad."
Having ridden as teammates for the Belgian national squad several times, notably at the Paris Olympics last year and World Championships in 2022 – two events Evenepoel won – Stuyven said it became clearer as they crossed paths in the summer that a partnership at Soudal-QuickStep wasn't incoming.
"He joked about it during an altitude training camp in the Sierra Nevada in May, even though it wasn't completely finalized yet. I didn't respond to those jokes because I already thought: We'll see if we actually become teammates," said Stuyven.
"I also heard from Remco on August 3rd, one year after his Olympic road race title. I had sent him a message myself, because it's a fond memory for me too. Even then, his answers made it clear that we wouldn't be teammates."
Stuyven's arrival marks a change of direction for Soudal-QuickStep, back to their former focus on the Classics and with sprinters at Grand Tours. The former Milan-San Remo winner will play an essential role in both, as co-leader in the former, and vital lead-out in the latter – for Tim Merlier.
"When I started racing, Quick-Step was the benchmark, and that remained the case for a long time," said Stuyven, who had discussions with QuickStep and former boss Patrick Lefevere several times throughout his 12 years at Trek.
On the cobbles of the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix, Stuyven will be one of the Belgian squad's leadership options, alongside new signing Dylan van Baarle and rising young star Paul Magnier.
"[CEO Foré] wanted to strengthen the team in the classics and provide a broad base so they can support me with good guys," he said. "Dylan van Baarle will also be joining, and Yves Lampaert is better off in a supporting role. I don't see myself as the sole leader, but I will be helping to lead the team."
After the spring, Stuyven will join Merlier's lead-out train with Bert Van Lerberghe, a job he has performed well in recent seasons for Jonathan Milan, knowing he will also have freedom on hilly breakaway stages during the Tour de France.
"I enjoy doing that. With Tim, you know you have a good chance of winning on the flat stages, and that the hilly stages offer opportunities to pursue my own dream," said Stuyven.
"Jurgen [Foré] was happy that my ambitions were looking beyond the spring. He knows I want to win a Tour stage, and Remco's departure frees up more space to pursue that."
Stuyven's last racing block with Lidl-Trek starts today at the Hamburg Cyclassics, and will continue with the Renewi Tour, Bretagne Classic, Super 8 Classic, Gooikse Pijl, Binche-Chimay-Binche and finally, Paris-Tours.
